As reported in The Victoria Daily Chronicle, Thursday, 24 September 1863.
‘An Ingrain Swindler– The Police are after a man who lately served a term of imprisonment at New Westminster for swindling Billy Ballou, the ex-Expressman, out of $35, about one year and a-half ago by representing that a certain bag contained gold dust when in reality it only contained beans.
The scamp came to Victoria the other day, and, being rather plausible, imposed on several citizens by representing himself as a fortunate Caribooite whose (gold) dust was locked up in the bank after hours.
Several parties made him cash advances and received checks on one or the other of the banks, which, on presentation, they discovered to be worthless, the fellow having “no funds,” deposited there. He has gone to Boise.’
© Mark Young 2025
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Hellish Fiends, and Brutish Men 
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